


Pressing Start

by drowninginchamomiletea



Series: Me gay bmc bois [13]
Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-29
Updated: 2017-11-10
Packaged: 2019-01-06 17:07:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12215166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drowninginchamomiletea/pseuds/drowninginchamomiletea
Summary: ...I'll let you be the judge.





	1. PRESS START?

Jeremy stood in front of the full-length mirror, sweating bullets. _What the hell, Heere? He’s not even home yet! Don’t be so nervous, you’re only gonna... Propose... Marriage... To the love of your life... Oh god what am I doing this is insane._

Choking back his neuroses, he somehow gained control of his breath and fell to one knee. Taking a breath, he swallowed and looked up, imagining that Michael was standing in front of him.

Oh god his chest hurt.

“M-M-Michael,” he managed, pulling an imaginary box from his back pocket. The real one was still safe in the drawer of his bedstand. “W-w-w-will you m-m-m-ma-ma-m-m-ma— Oh g-god I c-can't do this.” He stood, pacing the room and running his hands through his hair. _What if he says no? What if he's not happy? What if I screw up? What if— What if— Ugh I'm just running myself in circles!!_

He rounded on the mirror, a sudden feeling of unstoppable foreboding deep in his stomach, his jaw set. He walked forward, legs feeling like spaghetti, and fell to one knee in front of the mirror.

He swallowed.

“M-Michael Mell.” His voice was louder and clearer than he's expected.

He pulled the imaginary box from his back pocket.

“W-will you... Marryme?” He pushed out the last two words, staring determinedly at the floor. He paused for a moment and breathed, then stood up. “All right, alright, H-Heere, you got this. G-go get ‘em, slugger...!” He said, swinging his arm weakly. “...or s-something...”

.•∴✬•✩•✬∴•.

“W-will you... Marryme? ...All right, alright, Heere, you got this.”

Michael slipped back out into the hallway and shut the door, heart pounding and eyes bugging.

 _Did I just walk in on Jeremy... Rehearsing... To... Holy shit. Okay, on the one hand, the fact that he's rehearsing is both adorable and hilarious. But on the other hand... Holy SHIT. This... This is real._ He closed his eyes and leaned back against the pale wallpaper of the hallway. _Okay. I'll just act like it's any other night. Shouldn't be too hard, right? ...right?! ...right! Okay. So, I'll walk in, shout, “I’m home, love!” like I always do, and give him a kiss, ask about his day, get started on dinner... Wait. Dinner. Is he doing anything special? Did he cook? Christ, I hope not. Nah, he wouldn't cook. So it's— Hmm... Actually? No. I don't know anything, this is just a normal night. Quit thinking ahead. Okay. First step... Open the door._

He took a breath, put on a smile, and opened the door once more.

“I’m home, love!”

There was a _thump_ and a muffled “fuck!” from the next room. _Oh dear. Better go check on that._

“You alright, _mahal?_ Sorry for startling you. I got off early today.”

“I-I’m fine! Th-th-... Yeah...”

“Alright, sweetheart. Imma go start on dinner, so come on out whenever! Sooner rather than later, though! I wanna hear about your day!”

“O-okay, yeah!” Jeremy called back, a definite quaver in his voice. _Poor Jere._

Michael walked into the kitchen and started making macaroni and cheese from scratch. Comfort food. Help calm everyone down a bit to have some good food in their stomachs.

Jeremy eventually emerged, looking slightly pale and wearing his old cardigan and a clean pair of black jeans.

Dinner was awkwardly quiet. Jeremy ate very little, mostly picking at his food. He deflected any attempts at conversation, but Michael saw him cringe each time he gave a curt, one-word response. His nerves wore thinner and thinner with each passing minute, and he was growing twitchy.

When Michael came back to the table, now free of his bowl and utensil, Jeremy suddenly stood up, at this point looking vaguely panicky.

“Uh. Um. M-M-Michael.”

“Yeah...?” Michael said cautiously.  _This is it. You can do it, Jere._

Jeremy closed his eyes, took a deep, steady breath in and out, then opened them again. He was fidgeting furiously with his hands behind his back and looking at the linoleum floor.

_Okay, Heere. This is it. This is the moment. You can do it._

“M-Michael Angelo Mell,” he said, voice shaking only a little, as he dropped to one knee. He maintained eye contact with the floor. His heart felt ill. He took the very real velvet-covered box from his back pocket and slowly, slowly raised it up and presented its contents to the man before him. “W-will you... M-marry me?”

There was a beat of silence in which Jeremy’s heart felt like it was being twisted on a rack. He dared to glance up.

Michael was wiping his ferociously precipitating eyes on his sleeve, glasses off and eyes and nose pink from the tears. He was nodding, very _very_ energetically.

“Y-y-yes, yes, yes, holy shit, Jeremy, oh my god, yes, yes, I just want to spend my life with you, please, yes!! Oh, heavens, of course I'll marry you, angel!” He fell to his knees, wrapped his arms around his boyfriend—holy HELL, his _fiancée—_ and sobbed into his shoulder. Jeremy started laughing. He felt light, lighter than he'd ever felt before, like someone had inflated a huge balloon in his stomach and he had just floated right up out of his body and into heaven.

“H-holy shit I did it, and-and-and— Holy fuck, you said _yes,_ I-I-I—”

“You did it, you did it, baby, oh my god, I'm so proud of you, you did it, you did so good...” Michael rocked them back and forth as he spoke, squeezing his boy tightly. 

“You're m-my cheerleader, even after the f-fact. Reason #362 that I l-love you more than anything or-or anyone else. Also, d-did you...  _Know?!"_

"I..." Michael hesitated. "I opened the front door and heard you rehearsing."

Jeremy looked mortified.

"Fuck. I-I... S-sorry about that."

"No, no!! It's okay,  _mahal!_ I think it was a great plan." He hugged his fiancée again. "You  _did_ it! God, I'm so happy, I can't even say, I—" his throat hitched and he just shook his head, feeling more tears well up in his eyes.

"I j-just— I love you so much, I knew it was the n-next step, oh, god, I fucking  _did_ it—"

“Shut up and put that ring on me, boy!”

“Ok-kay, okay!” Jeremy laughed. His hands shook like the devil, but Michael gently guided him until the ring was on.

“It’s perfect,” Michael whispered to himself, staring at his hand. The ring was simple, really—no gems or anything, just a narrow band of gold. But it meant more than his heart could express. Looking closer, he saw the words _PRESS START_ engraved in the metal. He laughed, high and shaky and breathless, and held his hand up to the light, fascinated by the curve of the ring on his finger. “How did you... How did you know my ring size? I've never worn rings before...”

“I, uh...” Jeremy looked around sheepishly. “I m-measured your finger while you were sleeping...”

“Nice. Oh, wait! We gotta— I gotta— We gotta Skype my moms!!”

“O-okay!!”

Michael clumsily unlocked his phone and opened Skype to call his mothers.

“Hey there, hon! To what do your dear old ladies owe the pleasure?” June had answered.

“M-MoM! I-I-I— _I’M ENGAGED!!”_

“What’s this now? Our little boys are finally tying the knot?” Amy appeared on-screen. She squinted over her reading glasses, and a beaming Michael held up his beringed hand for her to see. She gasped and squealed like an excited schoolgirl. “Oh, Juney, Mikey’s _engaged!_ Don't hide, there, Jeremy! I want to see the face of my future son-in-law!”

Jeremy’s bright pink face peeked out from behind Michael.

“H-hi,” he squeaked shyly.

“Oh, he’s so embarrassed,” June said fondly.

“Come on, love, you know they don't bite,” Michael said softly, scooting over so Jeremy couldn't hide behind him. Michael took his hand and looked back at his parents, glowing excitedly. “I can’t— I don’t— I dunno why I never imagined this happening, but I just... Can't imagine...”

“Spending your life without him?” Amy finished, smiling. “How long were you planning this, Jeremy?”

“O-only about a week,” he admitted, looking down at Michael’s hand around his and blushing. “I f-felt like... I was r-ready, you know? And I... I wanna sp-spend our lives t-together.”

“Aww! I’m so glad for you two. I always knew you had something special,” cooed the more talkative of the two women.

“Well, you certainly have our blessing. Have you told Dan yet?” June asked.

“N-n-no!” Jeremy squeaked, looking terrified again.

“Gosh, you should get on that! We’ll let you go, then,” Amy said quickly. “It’s getting a little late over here in Jersey.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Michael said, smiling and blowing his mothers a kiss. “Bye, Mama, Ina! Love you!”

“Bye, love! Be good!”

“If we're not the first to know when the wedding date's been set, we're disowning you!”

_“May!!”_

“What?!”

“Bye,” Michael chuckled.

Michael ended the call and set his phone back down on the table, then wrapped his arms around Jeremy and buried his face in the slimmer man’s shoulder. They sat like that for a while, inhaling each other’s familiar warmth, reveling in the glow of their excitement and joy.

“I’m so happy, Miah,” Michael whispered. “I love you, I love you so much, oh my god, we’re doing this... We're getting _married!”_

“It-it doesn't have to be big. Just... J-just, my dad, an-and your family, and our high school friends. No f-fancy venue or-or anything, and I don't really c-care about any religious c-customs or whatever. I just w-want a... Quiet wedding. W-with everyone we c-care about.”

“Knowing my family and our friends, I don't think you're gonna get that quiet wedding,” Michael laughed quietly. “But I do think that it's going to be wonderful. They'd never let our wedding be a bad memory.”

“Y-yeah, I know...”

“Lovely, don't let your nerves make this look scary. We’re gonna spend our lives together! I know this is the right choice.” Michael pulled out of their embrace to look Jeremy in the eye. “I know you'd only do this if you really thought you were ready. I trust your decision.”

Jeremy paused, looking like he was searching for something in Michael’s face, in his eyes. Whatever it was, he seemed to find it.

“Okay,” he whispered. “I—... I've questioned and doubted and r-reassessed s-so much this week, but on my way home f-from work t-today, I-I had the thought... W-we’ve been b-best friends since— Since we were f-five! And— And if we weren't supposed to be together, w-we would know by now!”

“H-holy shit, Jere. We've been together for almost _five years._ How did I not realize...?!”

“I— Woah...” Jeremy’s eyes widened.

“So, uh... Let's break the news to your dad, eh?”

“Y-yeah! Uh... Yeah,” Jeremy mumbled, pulling out his phone and pressing 3 on speed dial. He turned on speakerphone and set it on the table.

“Ho! Decided to check up on your old man, sport?”

“U-uh, um, uh, y-y-yeah,” he managed, then looked desperately at Michael. _Help me!_ Michael shook his head firmly. _He’s your dad. You tell him._

“Everything okay, bud? You sound a little shaken up!”

Jeremy swallowed.

“Y-yeah, everything’s— Everything’s fine. F-f-fantastic, actually! Um, Dad?”

“Yes?” Mr. Heere's voice had switched from concerned to bemusedly curious.

“I-I-I-I— Dad, I’m— I'm eng-g-gaged!”

There was a _clunk_ and a swear. _Like father, like son,_ Michael thought amusedly.

“S-son! Whu—! Who—! When—?!”

“T-to Michael,” Jeremy added.

“Of course! When— Er, when’s the wedding?”

Michael took pity on Jeremy and answered for him.

“We haven’t set a date yet, but we’ll keep you posted!”

“O-okay, that sounds... Great!! Wow, I certainly wasn't expecting this when I picked up the phone!”

“I g-guess we’ll let you go now?” Jeremy said, more of a question than anything.

“Uh— Uh, yeah, I guess— We’ll talk again soon, I hope?”

“O-of course!” Mr. Heere’s son squeaked. “I’m s-sorry we don’t talk m-more, I’m just...”

“Oh, gah, no, don't feel bad. You're young, you're busy, I'd rather you focus on your own life for a few years.”

“B-but you're a p- _part_ of my life! I-I’ll... I'll try to c-call more, I promise, ‘kay?”

“I... Alright. You’re... Th... I’m glad you... Thank you, Jeremy. I love you, and I'm very proud of you.”

“I l-love you too, Dad. Talk soon. G’night.”

“Goodnight, you two.”


	2. GETTING MARRIED TODAY

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HAHAHAHHHHAAHAHAH OKAY OKAY SO EXPLANATION: while I was writing about them planning their wedding, all I could think about was Jeremy singing Getting Married Today from the musical Company (which is really good, btw; you should listen to the whole thing. Listen to Getting Married Today first tho cause it's the best song in the musical ;'D hahaahahhhh). So yeah that's how the first bit of this chapter happened, because let's be honest, this song is perfect for Jeremy on the wedding day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I DO NOT HOLD ANY RIGHTS TO THE SONG _GETTING MARRIED TODAY._ All rights and credit for the original go to the song's creator, David Sondheim.

A/N:  **go watch the original song here it's fantastic:**

[ https://youtu.be/ODBPDCbRVL4 ](https://youtu.be/ODBPDCbRVL4)

 

 _CHOIRGIRL:_  
 _Bless this day,_  
 _Pinnacle of plan,_  
 _Husband joined to man._  
 _The heart leaps up to behold_  
 _This golden day._  
  
_MICHAEL (SPOKEN):_

_Jeremy, I can't find my shoes._

 

_[JEREMY holds up the shoes over his shoulder, facing away from MICHAEL.]_

 

_MICHAEL:_   
_Today is for Jer'my,_   
_Jeremy, I give you all that I am,_   
_To cherish and to keep you, to honor you forever._   
_Today is for Jer'my,_   
_My happily soon-to-be man_

_[MICHAEL raises his arms.]_

 

_MICHAEL (SPOKEN):_

_Jeremy, we're really getting married!_

 

_[JEREMY starts nodding. MICHAEL lowers his arms and turns to step off the podium, whereupon JEREMY instantly switches to vigorously shaking his head.]_

 

_JEREMY:_   
_Pardon me, is everybody there? Because if everybody's there, I want to thank you all for coming to the wedding, I'd appreciate your going even more, I mean you must have lots of better things to do, and not a word of this to Mike, remember Mike, you know, the man I'm gonna marry, but I'm not, because I wouldn't ruin anyone as wonderful as he is_

_But I thank you all_  
 _For the gifts and the flowers,_  
 _Thank you all,_  
 _Now it's back to the showers,_  
 _Don't tell Michael,_  
 _But I'm not getting married today._  
  
_CHOIRGIRL:_  
 _Bless this day,_

 

_[JEREMY screams and hides under a table.]_

 

_CHOIRGIRL:_   
_Tragedy of plan,_   
_Husband yoked to man._   
_The heart sinks down and feels dead_   
_This dreadful day._

_CHRISTINE (SPOKEN):_

_Jeremy! Michael can't find his Pac-Man cufflinks!_

_JEREMY (SPOKEN):_

_They're on the dresser! (beat) Right next to my suicide note!_  
  
_JEREMY:_  
 _Listen, everybody, look, I don't know what you're waiting for, a wedding, what's a wedding, it's a prehistoric ritual where everybody promises fidelity forever, which is maybe the most horrifying word I ever heard, which is followed by a honeymoon, where suddenly he'll realize he's saddled with a nut, and wanna kill me, which he should—_

 _So thanks a bunch,_  
 _But I'm not getting married—_  
 _Go have lunch,_  
 _'Cause I'm not getting married—_  
 _You've been grand,_  
 _But I'm not getting married—_  
 _Don't just stand there,_  
 _I'm not getting married—_  
 _And don't tell Michael,_  
 _But I'm not getting married today._  
  
_Go, can't you go?_  
 _Why is no-_  
 _Body listening?_  
 _Goodbye,_  
 _Go and cry_  
 _At another person's wake._  
 _If you're quick,_  
 _For a kick,_  
 _You could pick_  
 _Up a christening,_  
 _But please,_  
 _On my knees,_  
 _There's a human life at stake!_

_Listen everybody, I'm afraid you didn't hear, or do you want to see a crazy guy just fall apart in front of you, it isn't only Mike who may be ruining his life, you know we'll both of us be losing our identities, I telephoned my analyst about it and he said to see him Monday, but by Monday I'll be floating in the Hudson with the other garbage—_

_I'm not well,_   
_So I'm not getting married—_   
_You've been swell,_   
_But I'm not getting married—_   
_Clear the hall,_   
_'Cause I'm not getting married—_   
_Thank you all,_   
_But I'm not getting married—_

_JEREMY (WHISPERED):_

_And don't tell Michael,_

_JEREMY:_

_But I'm not getting married today._  
  
_CHOIRGIRL:_  
 _Bless this man,_

 

_[JEREMY screams and hides behind a chair.]_

 

 _CHOIRGIRL:_  
 _Totally insane,_  
 _Slipping down the drain._  
 _And bless this day in our hearts_  
 _As it starts_  
 _To rain._  
  
_MICHAEL:_

_Today is for Jeremy,_   
_Jeremy, I give you all that I am,_   
_To cherish and to keep you, to honor you forever._   
_Today is for Jeremy,_   
_My happily soon-to-be man._

_JEREMY:_

_Go, can't you go?_

_Look, you know_

_How I love you all,_   
_But why_   
_Watch me die,_   
_Like Eliza on the ice?_   
_Look, perhaps_   
_I'll collapse_   
_In the apse_   
_Right before you all,_   
_So take_   
_Back the cake,_   
_Burn the suits_   
_And boil the rice._

_MICHAEL:_

_My adorable_

_Man_

_JEREMY:_

_Look, I didn't wanna have to tell you, but I may be coming down with junioritis, and I think I'm gonna faint, so if you wanna see me faint, I'll do it happily, but wouldn't it be funnier to go and watch a funeral, so thank you for the twenty video game cards, thirty 90’s pop cans, forty retro skate guards, fifty old-school game controllers—_  
  
_MICHAEL:_  
 _One more thing—_  
  
_JEREMY:_  
 _I am not getting married!_  
 _CHOIR:_  
 _Amen!_  
  
_MICHAEL:_  
 _Softly said—_  
  
_JEREMY:_  
 _But I'm not getting married!_  
 _CHOIR:_  
 _Amen!_  
  
_MICHAEL:_  
 _With this ring—_  
  
_JEREMY:_  
 _Still I'm not getting married!_  
 _CHOIR:_  
 _Amen!_  
  
_MICHAEL:_  
 _I thee wed._  
  
_JEREMY:_  
 _See, I'm not getting married!_  
 _CHOIR:_  
 _Amen!_  
  
_MICHAEL:_

_Let us pray  
 _That we are getting married_  
 _Today!__

_JEREMY:_   
_Let us pray_   
_That I'm not getting married_   
_Today!_

_CHOIR:_   
_AMEN!!!_

Jeremy opened his eyes to the muffled darkness of the office closet in his father’s house. He felt the tightness of his tuxedo and heard quiet voices from the living room. It sounded like... _Jake, Amy, Dad, and... Michael. Oh, hell. Do they know I'm in here? I sure hope not. Damn, this is embarrassing. I'm the one who_ proposed, _for god’s sake, and I'm having a panic attack and some seriously cold feet on the wedding day?! Oh, God, Dad, Michael, SOMEONE help me!!_ He could feel the dried tears on his cheeks, but more quickly flowed over them.

He came to a decision. Standing up, he quietly slid the closet door open and slunk out. There was a usually-unused door between the office and his old room. He used it to sneak into the sky-blue room and looked around at his video game posters, trinkets, desk, and shelves upon shelves of games and consoles. Sunlight from the window flooded the room with a cool glow of reflected blue. Being back in the place where he had spent most of his life instilled a sense of peace in him. He flopped down, spread-eagled, on the bed and closed his eyes, listening to the voices in the next room and the wind in the trees and birdsong outside. He lay there for what felt like some time, but was really only fifteen minutes or so.

The door was softly opened and shut, and Jeremy felt the weight of someone sitting on the bed beside him. Warm lips lingered on his forehead, and a familiar hand wove its way into his hair.

“You alright, love...?”

Jeremy felt his heart crack a little at the awful gentleness in Michael’s voice. He bit his lip and felt his chin crinkle up as more tears slipped down into his hair.

“I’m s-sorry...” His whisper was broken and hoarse.

“C’mere, sit up, angel,” Michael said, gently lifting Jeremy’s head.

Jeremy felt the pressure of the engagement ring against his skull and pushed himself up into his best friend’s arms. Everything ran in front of his eyes, like a filmstrip...

 

 ** _Pre-K._ ** _Jeremy sat, alone, in the sandbox at recess. It was his first day at school after his family had moved here. He'd been terrified during class—the other kids, everywhere, chattering, closing in on him. So now he was alone, which was nice. But as he watched his classmates running and laughing and playing from afar, he wished he could join in._

_“Hi!”_

_Jeremy looked up. A dark-skinned boy with scabby knees and glasses was crouched next to the sandbox with a glowing grin. Jeremy shrank back slightly._

_“H-h-hi...” He whispered shyly._

_“My name’s—” The boy broke off and frowned in concentration. “M... My... Kuhl. M-I-C-H-A-E-L. I'm not very good at sports or spelling, but I like video games and math! What’s your name?”_

_Jeremy looked at Michael cautiously, then slowly spoke in a quiet voice._

_“J-J-Jermy... My m-momma s-says I’m... Sh-shy... I l-like v-video games, t-t-too...”_

_“That’s cool! Let’s be friends, Jermy!”_

_Jeremy stared for a moment before nodding._

**_First grade._ **

_“You’re dumb and ugly and fat and nobody likes you! Four-eyes!”_

_“WHAT?! Y-you—” Jeremy ran in front of Michael and sucker-punched the boy taunting him. “N-NOBODY b-bullies my f-friend! You b-big j-jerk!!”_

_The bully started crying loudly. He had a nosebleed. Jeremy stood up and ran back to Michael._

_“Jermy! You’ll get in trouble!!”_

_“I d-don’t c-care! Are y-you okay?”_

**_Third grade._ ** _Michael’s “friend” Alex Walker suddenly started bullying Jeremy, and attempted to get Michael to turn on him too._

_“What the heck, Alex!? What was that for?!”_

_“He’s such a weirdo! He can't even talk right! Why do you play with him?”_

_“He’s my best friend, you big jerk! Stop being so mean to him! If you don't— Then— Then we can't be friends anymore!”_

_Jeremy, hiding behind Michael, looked up at his friend, eyes wide._

_“Y-you d-don’t hafta...”_

_“Yes I do!!” Michael grabbed his self-proclaimed best friend’s arm and, giving Alex one last look of contempt, turned and stalked away across the playground, dragging a quietly protesting Jeremy behind him._

**_Fourth grade._ **

_Jeremy stood, not speaking a word, not moving a muscle, not shedding a tear or cracking a smile. His insides felt like they were made of stone—heavy and cold. He watched silently as the U-Haul truck was loaded up with scattered fragments of his heart._

_Michael stood at his side. He didn't attempt to talk to his friend. He simply remained close, making sure Jeremy didn't have to observe this vigil alone._

_They watched the truck pull out of the driveway and disappear around the corner._

_Jeremy didn't shed a single tear until late that night. He fell asleep, crying, his best friend warm beside him._

_It was a few years before he could sleep without Michael again._

**_Fifth grade._ ** _Their first concert together. Weird Al. Jeremy fell asleep on Michael’s shoulder in the car on the way home._

 **_Seventh grade._ ** _Jeremy gave Michael a Magic The Gathering card for his thirteenth birthday. No one else but his moms remembered that birthday._

**_Eighth grade._ **

_“GAY!”_

_Michael flinched and grabbed Jeremy._

_“C’mon, let’s go, man,” he muttered, and they ran out of the mall together._

**_Ninth grade._ **

_“Swear we’ll survive high school together, right?”_

_“Yeah. B-best bros fo-forever. The world’s p-pretty effed-up, but i-it's a...”_

_“Two-player game!” Michael finished, hugging Jeremy. “We’ll survive if we just watch each other’s backs. It’ll be okay.”_

**_Eleventh grade._**

_“Get out of my way._ _Loser._ _”_

**_Eleventh grade._ **

_“Michael makes an entrance!”_

_“MICHAEL!!”_

**_Eleventh grade._ **

_“Please wake up, Jere... I didn't save everyone for you to be in a coma before I could tell you how I feel...”_

**_Twelfth grade._ **

_“Uh, Jeremy?”_

_Jeremy looked over at his friend. Michael had paused the game and set down his controller, and was staring at his fidgeting fingers._

_“...y-yeah?”_

_“There’s, uh... Something I haven't told you.” For some reason, Michael’s face was brick red._

_“Okay?”_

_“I, uh, um, I’m, um. I like you. Like, more than just platonically.”_

_Jeremy was silent, and Michael felt horror slowly creeping up his throat. That was, until Jeremy softly spoke._

_“So... W-what now? Th-this is when I s-say, ‘A-alright, Mikey, let’s g-give it a t-try. I know I'm bi, a-and I kn-know I-I care about you m-more than anyone, s-so... Why not? T-try it out f-for a while.’”_

_Michael gaped._

_“Are you... Serious, Jeremy?!”_

_Jeremy looked up, eyes shining pools of blue._

_“Yeah,” he said earnestly. “I kn-know I c-can trust you t-to treat m-me right. I know w-we’re compatible. S-so... L-let’s try it.”_

_“Jere, I...” Michael scrubbed at his eyes. “Thank you so much for giving me this chance. I promise I won't let you down.”_

_“Wh-who knows,” Jeremy added, grinning. “Ma-maybe it'll t-turn into the rest o-of our l-lives.”_

**_Twelfth grade._ ** _Graduation. Michael and Jeremy walked together, of course. Their hands were latched together throughout. As they took their seats, Michael whispered into Jeremy's ear._

_“We did it, Jere! We survived high school. Together.”_

**_Freshman year of college._ ** _Michael and Jeremy attended the same college of performing arts, and they shared a dorm room._

 **_Sophomore year of college._ ** _They moved out of the dorm into their own apartment._

 **_Junior year of college._ ** _Jeremy proposed marriage to Michael, who tearfully accepted._

 

Jeremy buried his face in Michael’s chest.

“IloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyou...” He whispered as Michael’s fingertips traced shapes on his back.

“Breathe, love,” Michael murmured. “If today’s been too hectic, everyone’ll understand if you wanna push it to tomorrow.”

Jeremy sighed. He was so tired.

“R-remind me what I did t-to deserve you...?”

“You didn't have to do anything, angel. We were supposed to be together. Soulmates, you think?”

“M-makes sense...”

“So, you up to go on with it today? Or should we wait?”

Jeremy slipped out of Michael's arms and stood, stretching. He then blinked several times and beamed at his fiancée.

“Let’s do this.”

 

.•∴✬•✩•✬∴•.

 

“I’m so happy for you, son,” Jeremy’s father whispered as he walked his son down the aisle.

“I c-can’t believe this is happening, D-Dad... I’m marrying m-my best friend and the l-love of my life!”

“I’m glowing with pride, bud.” Mr. Heere grinned at Michael as they arrived at the altar. “Take good care of him, eh, Michael?”

“I’ll do my best, sir,” Michael said earnestly, as he took Jeremy’s hands.

The priest cleared his throat, and Jeremy felt a wave of electricity tickle his spine.

“We are gathered here today to unite these two people in marriage. Their decision to marry has not been entered into lightly, and today they publicly declare their... Already pretty public devotion to one another.” The priest frowned, the gathered crowd laughed, and Rich cackled at the top of his lungs.

“Oh, god, _THE PDA IN HIGH THCHOOL!_ Y’all’ve got no idea...!!”

“Shush, Rich!” Jake said quietly, drawing more chuckling from the couple on the altar and their friends. The priest frowned deeper and went on.

“The essence of this commitment is the acceptance of one another in entirety, as lover, companion, and...” He frowned yet again. “...best bro.”

Michael sniggered slightly, and Jeremy barely suppressed a snort of laughter.

“A good and balanced relationship is one in which neither person is overpowered nor absorbed by the other, one in which neither person is possessive of the other, one in which both give their love freely and without jealousy. Marriage, ideally, is a sharing of responsibilities, hopes, and dreams. It takes a special effort to grow together, survive hard times, and be loving and unselfish.”

The priest addressed the couple before him.

“Do you both pledge to share your lives openly with one another, and to speak the truth in love? Do you promise to honor and tenderly care for one another, cherish and encourage each other, stand together, through sorrows and joys, hardships and triumphs, sickness and health, distance and nearness, for all the days of your lives?”

“We do,” the pair said in unison. Jeremy’s voice was soft with tears, and Michael's was rough with the same.

“Do you pledge to share your love and the joys of your marriage with all those around you, so that they may learn from your love and be encouraged to grow in their own lives?”

“We do.”

Christine guided a little Mell cousin up to the altar with the ring pillow.

“May these rings be blessed as a symbol of your union. As often as either of you look upon these rings, may you not only be reminded of this moment, but also of the vows you have made and the strength of your commitment to each other.”

He cleared his throat once more and turned to Michael.

“Michael, please repeat after me... ‘I, Michael Angelo Mell, promise to love and support you, Jeremiah Taylor Heere, and live each day with kindness, understanding, honesty, humor, song, and dance—and video games. With this ring I thee wed.’”

Michael lifted Jeremy’s left hand, looked back into his eyes, and repeated the vows in earnest. He then took the smaller of the silver wedding bands from the ring pillow—the one with _PLAYER 2_ stamped into the metal—and slipped it onto Jeremy’s finger.

The priest turned to face Jeremy and continued.

“Jeremy, please repeat after me... ‘I, Jeremiah Taylor Heere, promise to love and support you, Michael Angelo Mell, and live each day with kindness, understanding, honesty, humor, song, and dance—and video games. With this ring I thee wed.’”

After shakily repeating the vows, Jeremy raised Michael’s left hand and, fingers trembling wildly, took the ring from the pillow. He paused, took a breath, and slid the circle of metal with _PLAYER 1_ emblazoned on its surface over Michael’s ring finger. The priest then addressed them both.

“Go now in peace and live in love, sharing the most precious gifts you have: the gifts of your lives united. And may your days be long on this earth. I now pronounce you husband and husband. You may now kiss the groom.”

They pulled each other in, among the applause and cheers. Loud catcalls arose from their friends, leading both men to fall out of the kiss laughing.

“START THE MUSIIIIC,” Chloe whooped, drawing laughter and cheers from the gathered friends and Michael's family, bloodline and adopted alike.

 _Actually, they’re my family now, too!_ Jeremy thought, feeling slightly dazed. Before he could continue thinking, however, Michael swept him right up off his feet and held him bridal-style. Jenna hurried forward with her selfie stick at the ready. All of their friends, and those of the family who realized what was going on, bunched together into the frame, grinning jovially.

“Say ‘GAY!’” Jenna cried.

The friends chorused the word, laughing, and the family quietly repeated it, in varying states of confusion and disapproval.

“This is going right up on Instagram!”

“I expect nothing less!” Michael laughed, letting Jeremy down to stand on his own feet. Jeremy, however, felt quite weak in the knees; he almost immediately lost his balance and fell back into Michael's arms. “Woah, _giliw,_ I gotcha. Let's sit down for a bit, yeah?”

“Y-yeah... Yeah, th-that’d be great...”

“Hang up, you two!” Jake called, hurrying up with two of the many chairs which were being moved from their orderly rows to the circular tables around the edges of the room.

“Th-thanks, Jake,” Jeremy said gratefully as Michael deposited him in one of the delivered chairs.

As soon as Michael sat down, Jeremy leaned against him, laying his head on the familiar, warm shoulder. Michael's arm was draped around his husband. They watched as the room was transformed from a chapel to a ballroom, and as their friends began to dial in the music.

“Y'know,” Michael eventually said, “I never actually saw it happening until you proposed.”

“Hm...” Jeremy hummed, content to listen.

“I dunno... We’d already just... Always been together. I guess it made sense to give the bond some legal weight, but it just never crossed my mind, for some reason.”

“Micah...”

“Yes, loveliest?”

Jeremy smiled at the name.

“Let's n-neither of us g-get jobs where we have to t-travel a lot. I d-don't think I'll ever be able to sl-sleep without you again.”

“Never. I can't stand to think of you lying in bed, cold and alone, when I could be there with you... Nope. I'm never letting go of you now.”

Jeremy buried his face in the other man’s shoulder as the arm around him tightened.

“Good. I l-love you _so much.”_

“I love you just as much. If by ‘so much,’ you mean infinitely.”

“Yeah, I d-do.”

“'Course.”

“A-always do.”

“Mhm.”

They fell into a tranquil silence, watching as the people started clumping up and breaking off into smaller groups, sitting at tables or moving onto the dance floor.

“Angie,” Jeremy eventually said.

“Yes?”

“Let’s go dance.”

Michael smiled.

“Hell yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOHOO I FINALLY POSTED PART TWO!! Hope it was worth the wait!! Love y'all!


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